Friendly Societies, State Action, and the Poor-law. 185 
a trustee is away from the United Kingdom, becomes bankrupt, &c., or a 
lunatic, dies or has been removed, or if it is unknown whether he is alive 
or dead, a registered Society, instead of having to apply to the High Court 
of Justice, or to take any other proceedings, which it would have to do if 
unregistered, can have the money transferred by direction of the Chief 
Registrar on payment of \l. fee. 
(5.) The documents of the Society are for the most part free from stamp 
duties. 
(6.) The Society can admit members under 21 (but above 16) and take 
binding receipts from them, which would otherwise be of no effect. 
(7.) In a registered Friendly Society the Certificates of Birth or Death 
of members, or of any other persons insured, or to be insured with it, cost 
only Is. ; or when several certificates of the same death are applied for at the 
same time, &d. for any certificate after the first. 
(8.) A registered Society has the privilege of investing money with the 
National Debt Commissioners. 
(9.) It has certain special privileges in the holding of copyhold property. 
(10.) If it invests money on Mortgage, such Mortgages can be discharged 
by a mere endorsed receipt without reconveyance. 
(11.) Its officers are legally bound to render account and give up all money 
or propertj' in their possession on demand or notice, and may be compelled to 
do so either by the County Court or the Magistrates. 
(12.) Disputes may be legally settled according to the Society's own rules 
(unless in the case of certain collecting Societies), or if no decision is made 
within forty days after a decision is applied for by the County Court or the 
Magistrates, or if both parties desire it, and the rules do not forbid, by the 
Registrar of Friendly Societies. 
(13.) Members of registered Friendly Societies have the privilege of 
legally insuring money on the deaths of their wives and children for their 
funeral expenses, without having an insurable interest in their lives (such 
insurances are void by Act of Parliament, if effected with an unregistered 
Society). 
(14.) Members of Registered Societies may (unless in benevolent Societies 
or Working Men's Clubs) dispose at death of sums payable by the Society not 
exceeding 50?. by written nomination without a Will, and this nomination 
may be made by youths of 16, who cannot make a Will till they are 21. 
(15.) Where there is no Will and no nomination, the trustees may dis- . 
tribute sums under bOl. without Letters of Administration being taken out (a 
person who should do so in any other case would make himself liable for the 
debts of the deceased). 
(16.) The Society is entitled, without being in anywise compelled so to do, 
to call in the services of the Public Auditors for the auditing of its accounts, 
and those of the Public Valuers for the valuing of its assets and liabilities, at 
fixed rates of fees. 
(17.) Its rules, and other important documents relating to it, are placed 
on record in a Public Office, from whence authentic copies can be obtained, 
which are evidence in any Court of Justice. This is of great consequence in 
proving title to land, and in cases of prosecution by the Society. 
No fee is payable on the registry of a Friendly Society, a Benevolent 
Society, a Working Men's Club, or a Cattle Insurance Society, or a branch of 
any such body, or on the registry of any amendment of its rules (which must, 
however, be supported by a statutory declaration), or of any notice of change 
of Office, or of the appointment of trustees. 
Institutions formed since 1875 for extending safe insurances 
to labourers, and otherwise improving the facilities for such 
insurances. 
